A kite unmanned aerial vehicle control method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of kite unmanned aerial vehicle control methods, based on handheld control device, its control logic can be summarized as "distance like kite, direction like mouse".When controlling, operator will indicate end of control device to unmanned aerial vehicle and double-click press activation control to enter follow mode;Under the state of pressing activation control, front push / back pull direction control respectively increases / decreases control radius (paying out / winding), left and right dial adjusts the head orientation, rotates control device to make unmanned aerial vehicle move to new pointing point along spherical arc;Release activation control unmanned aerial vehicle hovers, dial direction control can control gimbal at this time.The application maps unmanned aerial vehicle control from body coordinate system to spherical coordinate system with operator as origin, learns from the intuitive feeling of putting kite and mouse operation, realizes "pointing where shooting where" control, without understanding body direction, single hand can be completed, significantly reduces control difficulty and improves position control precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drone remote control technology, and in particular to a drone control method based on a handheld control device, for intuitively controlling the drone's position in space. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones are generally controlled using traditional dual-joystick remote controllers. These controllers typically have two two-dimensional joysticks, used to control the drone's pitch / roll, yaw, and throttle respectively. Operators need to understand the drone's own coordinate system (forward, backward, left, right, up, and down) and control the drone's flight direction and speed by combining joystick movements. This control method has the following shortcomings: 1. The controls are not intuitive: Operators need to map their sense of direction to the drone's coordinate system, which has a high learning cost and is especially confusing for beginners. 2. Complex operation: Simultaneous control of multiple channels (such as forward movement and turning at the same time) requires coordination of both hands, which can easily lead to fatigue during long-term operation; 3. Difficulty in precisely controlling the position: Traditional methods control the drone's velocity vector rather than directly specifying the target position, requiring the operator to constantly make corrections to reach the desired point; 4. Not suitable for one-handed operation: Existing remote controls are large and require both hands to hold, which is not conducive to operation while moving or performing other activities.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a drone control method with more intuitive control logic and simpler operation, so that operators can directly control the drone's position as if "pointing and shooting" without having to understand the drone's coordinate system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention proposes a kite-style drone control method. This method maps the drone's position control onto a spherical coordinate system with the operator as the origin, and draws inspiration from the "flying a kite" control method: the control device acts like a spool, the drone like a kite, pushing forward with the directional control is equivalent to "letting out the line" (increasing the control radius), pulling back with the directional control is equivalent to "reeling in the line" (decreasing the control radius), and rotating the control device changes the kite's orientation in the air, thus achieving intuitive control of the drone's spatial position.

[0005] The control method of this invention draws on two intuitive everyday operation paradigms for distance and direction control, which can be summarized as "distance like a kite, direction like a mouse." In the distance dimension, the operator pushes or pulls the direction control forward or backward, similar to releasing or retrieving a kite string, intuitively increasing or decreasing the control radius between the drone and the control device. This allows the drone to move closer to or away from the operator without needing to understand the drone's axis. In the direction dimension, the operator rotates the control device to change its direction, and the drone automatically moves along a spherical arc centered on the operator to the intersection of the new direction and the sphere, similar to moving the cursor to the point indicated by the mouse, achieving "point-and-shoot" spatial position selection. The combination of these two control paradigms gives this invention both the intuitive distance control of a kite and the intuitive direction control of a mouse, significantly reducing the difficulty of operation.

[0006] A method for controlling a kite-shaped drone includes the following steps: S1: The operator points the indicator end of the handheld control device at the drone, and quickly presses and holds the activation control on the control device to trigger the drone to enter the follow mode, so that the drone maintains the initial distance R0 and follows the indicator end of the control device. S2: While the activation control remains pressed: If the direction control on the control device is detected to be moved forward, a radius increase command is generated, causing the drone to move away from the control device along the direction pointed by the indicator end; If the direction control is detected to be moved backward, a radius reduction command is generated to bring the drone closer to the control device. If the left or right movement of the directional control is detected, a yaw command is generated to adjust the drone's nose direction. If a change in the pointing direction of the control device is detected, the target point is determined based on the current control radius and the new pointing direction, and a target update command is generated to make the UAV move to the target point along the spherical arc. S3: When the activation control is detected to be released, a hovering command is generated to keep the drone hovering in the current spatial position; S4: If the direction control is detected to be moved when the activation control is not pressed, a gimbal control command is generated to control the movement of the drone gimbal. S5: Press the activation control again to switch back to flight control mode, and repeat S2.

[0007] Furthermore, in step S2, when the drone moves along the spherical arc, it adopts the shortest arc path, and the moving speed is related to the amplitude of the directional control or the amount of change in direction, but does not exceed the preset maximum speed.

[0008] Furthermore, the initial distance R0 in step S1 is determined by the actual distance between the control device indicator and the drone when the operator starts to operate, and R0 is not less than the safe distance of 0.5 meters.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a maximum control radius limit, which is preset by the software and leaves a margin for signal coverage; when the control device loses communication with the drone for more than a preset time, the drone will automatically attempt to return to shorten the distance with the control device, and if it fails, it will land on the spot.

[0010] Furthermore, the drone's head direction remains the initial direction when activated by default; when the operator presses the head direction mode switch button, it switches to automatic pointing mode, and the drone's head turns in real time toward the direction indicated by the control device; pressing the button again switches back to manual mode.

[0011] Furthermore, in step S2, both the forward and backward movement and the left and right movement are equipped with dead zones. When the offset is less than 5% of the full stroke, it is considered as no operation; when the direction of the control device changes by less than 1°, the change is ignored.

[0012] Furthermore, in step S4, the gimbal control command is mapped to the gimbal pitch and yaw angular velocities based on the offset of the direction control, and the gimbal rotation speed does not exceed the preset maximum value.

[0013] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Intuitive operation: The operator only needs to point the control device to the desired location and push and pull the direction control to control the distance (like reeling in and letting out a kite string) to directly specify the drone target point. There is no need to understand the body coordinate system, and the learning cost is extremely low. 2. One-handed operation: The control device is small in size and can be operated with one hand, making it suitable for use while moving or performing other activities; 3. Precise position control: The drone's position is directly controlled via spherical coordinates, rather than velocity vectors, enabling precise hovering and point-to-point movement; 4. Flexible camera head orientation: The camera head orientation is maintained by default. You can manually adjust the camera head orientation by moving the direction control left and right, or switch to automatic pointing mode with one click to adapt to different shooting needs. 5. High safety: It has a maximum radius limit and automatic return-to-home function in case of loss of contact, reducing the risk of loss of control; 6. Highly expandable: After releasing the activation control, you can switch to gimbal control mode for easy aerial shooting framing; 7. Intuitive Control Paradigm: This invention uses the control logic of "distance like a kite, direction like a mouse" so that the operator does not need to understand the drone's coordinate system. They can complete the precise control of the drone's spatial position based solely on their intuition from flying a kite and operating a mouse. The learning cost is extremely low, and the control experience is natural and smooth. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The following is a description of the attached figures: 1. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the control process of the present invention. The process is shown in sequence as follows: activation (S1), flight control (S2, including radius, yaw, and pointing movement), hovering (S3), gimbal control (S4), and control mode switchback (S5), with the judgment conditions and loop paths of each step marked.

[0015] 2. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the spherical coordinate system mapping of the control method of the present invention. In the figure, point O is the indicator end of the control device (operator position), R is the current control radius, P0 is the current position of the UAV, P1 is the intersection of the new direction after rotating the control device with the sphere, the dashed line is the shortest arc path, and the arrow indicates the direction of movement.

[0016] 3. Figure 3 The diagram below shows the control device provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The device includes: a pen-shaped housing 1, a positioning signal transmitter 2 at the top of the housing (UWB tag is used in this embodiment), a pressable two-dimensional joystick 3 (similar to a game controller joystick) on the side of the housing, an attitude detection module 4 (including an IMU and a magnetometer), a control module 5 and a wireless communication module 6 inside, and a head orientation mode switching button 7. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. In the following embodiments, UWB positioning and IMU attitude detection are used as examples for illustration; however, those skilled in the art should understand that other equivalent positioning and attitude detection technologies can also be used to implement the present invention. The core of the present invention lies in the control logic itself; any technical means capable of acquiring the spatial position and pointing direction of the control device's indicator and capable of sending control commands falls within the scope of the present invention.

[0018] Example 1: Using UWB positioning and IMU attitude detection like Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a handheld control device with a pen-shaped or stick-shaped housing. The control device has a positioning signal transmitter (UWB tag) at its indicator end, a pressable two-dimensional joystick (i.e., an integration of activation and direction controls) on the side of the housing, and an internal attitude detection module (including an IMU and magnetometer), a control module, and a wireless communication module. It also has a head-facing mode switching button. The specific structure of the control device is merely an example, and the method of this invention is not limited to this specific hardware.

[0019] Positioning and Attitude Calculation: The positioning signal transmitter uses a UWB tag, and at least three UWB receiving base stations are installed on the UAV. The TDOA algorithm is used to calculate the three-dimensional coordinates of the tag (i.e., the control device indicator) relative to the UAV. The attitude detection module obtains the pitch and yaw angles of the control device by fusing IMU and magnetometer data, thereby determining the pointing direction vector of the indicator. The above positioning and attitude detection technologies are well known in the art, and this invention is not limited to any specific implementation.

[0020] Operation process: S1 (Activation and Follow): The operator holds the control device, points the indicator at the drone, and quickly double-clicks the joystick and holds the click. After the control module detects the double-click signal, it sends an activation command, and the drone enters follow mode, records the current distance R0 between itself and the indicator, and maintains this distance while following the indicator's movement. The double-click determination condition is that the interval between the two clicks is less than 500ms and the duration of each click is greater than 50ms. S2 (Flight Control): With the joystick pressed down: 1. Moving the joystick forward and backward: Moving it forward increases the control radius, causing the drone to move away in the direction indicated by the indicator; moving it backward decreases the control radius, causing the drone to move closer. The greater the range of motion, the faster the movement speed, but it cannot exceed V_max (e.g., 5 m / s). 2. Move the joystick left and right: Adjust the drone's nose yaw angle without changing the drone's position on the spherical surface; 3. Rotation Control Device: After the attitude detection module detects a change in pointing, it calculates the target point P1 based on the new pointing direction and the current radius R. The UAV then moves from its current position P0 to P1 along the spherical arc (shortest arc). The moving speed is related to the amount of pointing change and does not exceed V_max. 4. Dead Zone Handling: When the joystick offset is less than 5% of its full travel, it is considered as no operation; when the pointing change is less than 1°, it is ignored. S3 (Hover): Release the joystick, and the drone hovers, maintaining its current spatial coordinates; S4 (Gimbal Control): When the joystick is not pressed, moving the joystick controls the pitch and yaw of the drone's gimbal, allowing the drone to remain hovered. S5 (Control Mode Switch Back): Press the joystick again to switch back to flight control mode, and repeat S2.

[0021] Nose-pointing mode: By default, it maintains the initial direction when activated. Press the nose-pointing mode switch button to switch to automatic pointing to the operator mode, and the drone's nose will turn towards the indicator in real time; press again to switch back to manual mode. In automatic mode, the angle dead zone can be set to ±3° to prevent shaking.

[0022] Safety logic: The software presets a maximum radius R_max; if this radius is exceeded, the drone will not continue to move away. If communication is interrupted for more than 2 seconds, the drone will automatically return to a position 10 meters from the control point; if communication cannot be restored within 5 minutes, it will land in place. When the battery is low (below 20%), the maximum control radius will automatically decrease to 30 meters.

[0023] Example 2: Using visual markers and magnetometers The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that: an infrared LED array is installed at the control device's indicator end as a visual marker. The UAV captures images of the LED array through its onboard camera, and the spatial position and orientation of the indicator end are calculated using the PnP algorithm. The attitude detection module only uses a magnetometer to assist in obtaining the yaw angle. The remaining control procedures are exactly the same as in Embodiment 1. This indicates that the control method of the present invention can be implemented based on different underlying technologies, and the scope of protection is not limited to UWB.

[0024] Example 3: Using laser rangefinder and electronic compass The control device integrates a laser rangefinder sensor at the control point, which can measure the distance to the drone; the direction at the control point is obtained through an electronic compass and a tilt sensor. The remaining control procedures are the same as in Embodiment 1. This embodiment further demonstrates the independence of the control method.

[0025] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical solutions described in the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the essence of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a kite-shaped unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: The operator points the indicator end of the handheld control device at the drone, and triggers the drone to enter the follow mode by pressing and holding the activation control on the control device, so that the drone maintains the initial distance R0 and follows the indicator end of the control device. S2: While the activation control remains pressed: (1) If the direction control on the control device is detected to be moved forward, a radius increase command is generated to make the UAV move away from the control device along the direction pointed by the indicator end; (2) If the direction control is detected to be moved backward, a radius reduction command is generated to bring the UAV closer to the control device; (3) If the left and right movement of the directional control is detected, a yaw command is generated to adjust the direction of the UAV nose; (4) If a change in the pointing direction of the control device is detected, the target point is determined according to the current control radius and the new pointing direction, and a target update command is generated to make the UAV move to the target point along the spherical arc. S3: When the activation control is detected to be released, a hovering command is generated to keep the drone hovering in the current spatial position; S4: If the direction control is detected to be moved when the activation control is not pressed, a gimbal control command is generated to control the movement of the drone gimbal. S5: Press the activation control again to switch back to flight control mode, and repeat S2.

2. The kite-type UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, when the drone moves along the spherical arc, it adopts the shortest arc path, and the moving speed is related to the amplitude of the directional control or the change in direction, but does not exceed the preset maximum speed.

3. The kite-type UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The initial distance R0 in step S1 is determined by the actual distance between the control device indicator and the drone when the operator starts to operate, and R0 is not less than the safe distance of 0.5 meters.

4. The kite-type UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a maximum control radius limit, which is preset by the software and leaves a margin for signal coverage; when the control device loses communication with the drone for more than a preset time, the drone will automatically attempt to return to shorten the distance with the control device, and if it fails, it will land on the spot.

5. The kite-type UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drone's nose will remain in the initial direction when activated by default. When the operator presses the nose-pointing mode switch button, it will switch to automatic pointing mode, and the drone's nose will turn in real time toward the direction indicated by the control device. Pressing the button again will switch back to manual mode.

6. The kite-type UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, both forward / backward and left / right movements have dead zones. When the offset is less than 5% of the full stroke, it is considered as no operation. When the direction of the control device changes by less than 1°, the change is ignored.

7. The kite-type UAV control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S4, the gimbal control command is mapped to the gimbal pitch and yaw angular velocities based on the offset of the direction control, and the gimbal rotation speed does not exceed the preset maximum value.

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